Golf Central

These days players rarely retire, they just keep on playing well into their dotage. That's probably why Annika Sorenstam's decision to pack it in at the end of this LPGA season seems like relatively dramatic news.

Just look at her achievements - 72 tournament victories including 10 Majors (banking over $22million in the process). She averaged a record average score of 68.69 in 2004 and was the first woman since 1945 to compete alongside the men on The PGA Tour in the 2003 Colonial. She will also be remembered as the only woman to score 59 in tournament history. All that leaves her third on the LPGA Tour's career list behind Kathy Whitworth (88) and Mickey Wright (82) and tied for fourth in career Majors.

Last weekend she won the Michelob Ultra Tournament at Kingsmill by seven shots, courtesy of a cracking final round 66. She plans to marry Jerry McGhee in 2009.

"I think I've achieved more than I ever thought I could," she said during a press conference earlier this week; and it's difficult to argue with  the greatest women golfer of recent times.

Yet again, The Bet Detective brings home the bacon, albeit a thin slice of streaky, courtesy of the toothsome Stephen Ames. on an each way bet. Still, a win's a win and I'll have plenty of weeks to come without the merest sniff, no doubt. With the big boys resting up after the rigours of The Players Championship, I've moved away from the comfort zone of the  short odds, so don't hold your breath this week.

This week's tips:-

Camilo Villegas @ 30/1: Whereas he has an impressive body mass index, I just have an index which says I have considerable body mass. Still, would I swap places with the good-looking, independently wealthy professional golfer? 'Course not...
DJ Trahan @ 66/1: I was willing him to falter last weekend at The Players Championship and feel slightly guilty about it to be honest. A cracking season so far and although unlikely to win again, he's great value each way.
Nick Flanagan @150/1: clearly this is a long-shot. Do I know something Paddy Power doesn't? Not really, he was just very nice when I met him and his girlfriend at St Andrews during the Open in 2005. Oh, and he's good at golf.

Last week's tips:-

Stephen Ames @ 66/1 (5th)
Ian Poulter @ 110/1 (tied 21st)
Padraig Harrington @ 20/1 (missed cut)

We were hoping for big things last week at The Italian Open, but despite setting a course record during the tournament, Robert Karlsson didn't quite make the top spot after all. Still, he  paid the bills for the week as an each way return and on that basis, we're taking the unusual step of sticking with him two weeks running.

Our tips:-

Graeme McDowell @ 20/1: There will be a load of Euros dumped on The Irish this week, but being typically contrary we're opting for a couple of boys from the north. After a couple of indifferent seasons McDowell is in the process of realising his huge potential
Robert Karlsson @ 20/1: same bloke, different tournament and our contractual obligation of picking one Swede a week is maintained by the skin of our teeth.
Rory McIlroy @ 45/1: we're still getting over effortless way Rory secured his tour card at the end of last season and although it's a big ask, he's a daring enough player to make an impact on any tournament if the breaks go his way.

Last week's tips:-

Nick Dougherty @ 18/1 (10th)
Robert Karlsson @ 20/1 (3rd)
Raphael Jacquelin @ 35/1 (71st)